Quick Facts

For this latest Winthrop Poll, callers surveyed 963 South Carolina residents by landline and cell phones between Sept. 20-27. Residents said the economy is the most important problem facing the United States (11.6%), followed by politicians/government (7%), moral values (6.8%) and immigration (6.2%). President Barack Obama’s approval rating in South Carolina is 41% and remains roughly the same for the general population as it was in March, but still lags behind national approval ratings.

Scott Huffmon

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Two-thirds of South Carolina residents surveyed in the latest Winthrop Poll thought the S.C. Legislature made the right decision this summer to remove the Confederate battle flag from the State House grounds.

The decision came after nine church members, including the pastor who was a S.C. senator, were gunned down in their Charleston church in what was viewed as a racially motivated killing. Breaking down the survey results by race, 54% of white respondents said it was the right decision, while 93% of black residents supported it.

Nearly half of the overall respondents claim they disapproved of the flag before this summer; however, a November 2014 Winthrop Poll showed only one-third felt it should no longer continue to fly on State House grounds at that time.

For this latest Winthrop Poll, callers surveyed 963 South Carolina residents by landline and cell phones between Sept. 20-27. Results which use all respondents have a margin of error of approximately +/- 3.2% at the 95% confidence level. See the questions and responses.

When asked if the Confederate battle flag was more a symbol of racial conflict or of Southern pride, 40% of respondents said it stood for racial conflict, while 47% said it stood for Southern pride. Almost half of those who lean GOP said if it was left to their personal choice, they would let the flag continue to fly.

Callers also found that those who believe the history of slavery and discrimination make it harder for blacks to get ahead were more likely to support the flag’s removal.

ECONOMY

On the subject of the economy, only a fourth of South Carolina residents said our country is headed in the right direction. Half of respondents believe this country’s economic conditions as a whole are getting worse. Yet more than half think South Carolina is moving in a positive direction, and 63% think the condition of the economy is either very or fairly good.

Residents said the economy is the most important problem facing the United States (11.6%), followed by politicians/government (7%), moral values (6.8%) and immigration (6.2%).

Those surveyed said the two most important issues facing the Palmetto State are education and jobs/unemployment (tied at 13.3%), followed by racism (8%) and moral values (5.4%).

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND OTHERS

President Barack Obama’s approval rating in South Carolina is 41% and remains roughly the same for the general population as it was in March, but still lags behind national approval ratings.

Meanwhile, Congress’ approval rating by the Palmetto State residents continues to slide and is at 12%, a figure that is a little above the national opinion of Congress.

Governor Nikki Haley, who strongly urged legislators to take down the Confederate battle flag, has a 55% approval rating, nearly identical to her overall approval rating in March. Among Republicans and those who lean Republican, her approval rating is a strong 68%; however, this is lower than the 78% she garnered from GOP supporters among the general population in March. Meanwhile, the General Assembly received a stamp of approval from 45% of respondents.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is running for president on the GOP ticket, has a 40% approval rating. The state’s junior senator, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who is more highly rated among the Republican base, has a 53% approval rating.

PUBLIC POLICIES AND ISSUES

Even though the U.S. Supreme Court voted this summer that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage, half of the poll respondents said the union should not be recognized by law as valid. Yet when asked if county clerks or probate judges in the state should be allowed to deny a marriage license to same-sex couples, only 34% said yes.

Regarding roads, 84% of respondents said the priority should be to fix existing roads, not build new roads.

The Winthrop Poll also revealed:

· That 71% of respondents support a proposal before the S.C. General Assembly to allow the state health department to offer the HPV vaccine to female students entering seventh grade.· That 51% of participants said that generations of slavery and discrimination do not make it difficult or somewhat difficult for blacks to work their way out of the lower class, while 45% said it makes it somewhat or strongly difficult.· Of those surveyed, 70% said religion is very important to their lives.· Nearly half of all respondents were either unsure about the Tea Party, or didn't feel familiar enough to offer an opinion, while only 22% approved. Five percent of respondents, including 8% of Republican identifiers, considered themselves Tea Party members.